Hinge



Nov. 2, 1948. G'. w. HENRY HINGE Filed Sept. 4, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m4 /mn-,lmlm nl////////%m||mmy////////////////////////////// Nov. 2, 1948.

ca. w. HENRY n HINGE Filed Sept. 4, 1947 2 Shees-Sheet 2 Wil' I Tlf? E- A TTIQ/VEYS Patented Nov. 2, 1948 noir so STATES Par oFF-ies- ('Sievorge'v Washington. Henry;`

signor. to Anderson & Sons,

Mass., a corporation ofMassachusetts. Application September 4, 1947?, Seial'Nb. 7T/231631 (Cl.4 :i3-4.15).

Thisdnventionrelates to hinges.

An object oithis invention is a compact and eicient hinge construction, adapted. for a wide range` of uses which canbe simply made at low. cost.

Thehinge constructionV ofthis invention is useful for p-votally connecting two strips in such manner that the. strips are irripositively locked in one or more angular relations and isparticularly adapted for use in a folding. rule or the like. According to this invention, two stripsv may be hinged together without the use of any element other than the strips themselves and the hinge elements may, if desired, be formed by a stamping operation. The material and labor cost of producing such a hinge is, therefore, extremely 10W.` Although the preferred use of the hinge constructitin of this invention is in folding rules, many other uses of it will be readily apparent.-

Other objects', novel features and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent from the following specificationv and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form ofv folding rule equipped with a hinge construction embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the Iifnef242 of Fig; l;

Fig. 3 is a viewv (similar to Fig. 1) .of a modification;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of 3;

Fig. 5l is a vView similar" toA Fig.. 2 ot a further modication.;

Fig. 5 is` a section on the. line 6'.-E: of Fig. 5.;

Fig.. 7. is an. enlarged plan view ci? one. element of the hinge construction. prior toassembly with .the remaining elements; and

Figs. 8- and 9' are enlarged sections; on the line Bee-8 of Fig. 2. showing the hinge pintle in different positions.

The invention asdisclosed herei-nis embodied in ahinged' rule orA sca-1e Which, in the ern-bodilinentof Figs. ,1 and-2 is composed; of two sheet metal strips IU and H. leone-endl ofthe strip I01 is cota central; longitudinal slot 1.2,. thereby @form-ing two prongs Ia, and opposed. recesses i3 are formed in the adjacent; prong faces near 'the outer end of the slot (see Figs.l 8 and 9). The

two recesses I3 deiinel an aperture throughwhich project two identical ltongues or lugs .I4 struck upwardly trom the A.strip 1II .in parallel relation, f

the ends of the tongues I4 'projecting beyond the plate I- B being turned over the edges of the. aperture. The spacing and dimensions ci the tongues aresuch that the outer `corners thereof .denne a square and the -tongoesconstitute. the hinge tongues l 4.

pintlje. The wallf of; eacn recess I13 is..v provided witl'rtwonotches I5 in which, for certain relative angular.' positionsof the strips Io 'and' I -I f, t he outer -cornersofthe tongues or lugs I4 are receivediliig. 8f). l l

This arrangement interconnects the two stri-ps I0. and H; but permits relativefrotationof the two strips about an axisecentrally of the square .defined by the two.A tongues or lugs. I4. Uponrelative rotation. of the two strips, the, edges of. the tongues. I4 move out of. the. notchesl I5I into.. en gagement with the curved s uracesof, the recesses I3, thereby slightly spreading.z apart the., tivo prongs Illa of the strip L0, Each. time the edges of the tongues III` comer intol alinement with. the notches I5, the twoprongs Lila spring. together to impositively retain the tariostrips1 in saidfpostion. Thea-rrangement ofv thenotches- L5. in the embodiment shown in. Figs. 8. and.9. is suchthat the two strips are impositivelyvheld either in alinement. Witheacli` other or at right angles to each other. A

In .the modification illustrated in. Figs. 3 and 4, thehinged-rule or scale. is composed of two. strips 20 and 2l of wood, plastic or other light-weight material. In the. end of the. strip 2,0. is embedded a. sh0rt,.thn sheet. `metal. stripv I U' while in the end of the strip 2l is em'loeddel.V a short. thin sheet metal strip II. Except for their dimensions, the metal. strips.. ITU.' and II of this modication are identicalwith thev metal strips I0 and If o the embodiment` of Figs. 1 and :2 and they are interconnected in the samev manner as described in connection with said modification. The. two strips.. I0 and II' which hingev together the strips 20v and' 2..I are. positioned within recesses formed in the strips 20 2| and are attached thereto by suitableprongs orv tabs 22., 23 respectively which arebent around their respective strip, thereby strengthening the elements. Suffcient clearance. is, provided to .permit thespring .action of theprongs [Daf and to permit rotation Qi', tongues i4'. Witnin'the recess formed in strips 20.

In .the modification-of. Figs. 5. and 6, the .strips I0 and `II are interconnected by a solid Square Vpintle I5. riveted to the strip Il and extending through the *stripY Ill. in the samemanner as the .tongues vIll of the modication of Figs. 1 and 2,

said pintle .beingheaded over onto the strip IIJ to. form `a firm connection. Thecross-section of `the pintle I6` Vis of thesame dimensions as thc square defined by the outer corners of the .As vshown Ain Fie. '7, each recess I3, is .dend by [tongue e corn crossesection piritle c are to serve merely `as'guiding (b ut not bearingl surfaces during such movement. WhileV actual dimensions, location of centers and radii of curvature depend in any particular case upon the thickness of metal used, the length of slot I2 and the elastic characteristics of the metal, .one satisfactory arrangement of centers forth below. Y

The arc a may be struck about a center :l: lying in a line l-l perpendicular Vtothe center line m-m of the slot I2 and nearer the edge of the opposite prong ia than the edge of the prong inwhich the are occurs. The arcs b and c may be struck respectively about centers y and e lying in a line n n parallel to the line `m``m and pass' ing through the vcenterv at, the center y being slightly spaced from the center'zr in one direction and the center e being slightly spacedfrom' the centerin the opposite direction. The junction of each arc b and c with a wall of the slot I2 lies approximately on the circumferenceof Va circle havingv its diameter equal tothe diagonal of the square defined by the outer corners of the tongues I4 and having itscenter at thev intersection of the lines Z-l and m-m. The notches I5 of each recess i3 are of proper shape and spacing to receive two corners of the square dened by the tongues I4, while the distance between corresponding notches in the` opposite recesses is slightly less than'the lside of saiol'sqfuare.l `rIhe above 4described relationship is illustrated in Fig. 'i kby indicating' the tongues I?, inv dotted lines on the upper face of the strip il).

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the two strips I Il and ii are assembled by inserting the tongues I4 through the opening defined in the strip Hl by the notches I3 and bending over the tongues I4 as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. In order to effect this assembly of the two strips, the prongs lila are sprung apart slightly to space the corresponding notches of the opposite recesses I3 equal tou the width of the tongues I4, thus putting the prongs under tension which persists as long as the twostripsfl and Il are maintained in assembledirelation.v lThe friction exerted between v the strips la'nd II by reason ofthe tension in the prongs ia'servesV impositivelyto lockrthe corners ofjt'he.tonguesfindthe notches vI5 when ,the two strips are in the position'shown in Fig. 1 or in any one ofthree additionalrelatively ang-u- "IIi registerwith the notches I r j i ij Upon relative 4rotation of the twofstrip'su'from An @position-shown in Figs to-*theposition'shown larfpositions'in? which fthe corners ofjrthe tongues v inte-Eigk 9,'H eachjarcjais yengaged by one`wtongue corner, Vthus increasing thespread of the `prongs and radii is setV periphery of the recesses I3 and with the notchesl I5 in the same manner as the tongues I4.

It is desirable in making the hinge of this ln-I vention that the tongues I4 or the square pintle i6, be hardened so that the corners thereof will resist wear. The bearing surfaces of opening I3l `may also be hardened.

Y While inthe form of this invention which now appearsY to be preferable and most convenient,

vthe notches I5 are so positioned in the arcuate walls of the recesses I3 as to define substantially 'fthe corners of a square, it is possible to place them at other positions and to provide any even number of such notches in excess of four. The purpose of the notches I5 is to define an angular position at which the hinged members will stop and beheld. `v`When there are four notches delila with corresponding increase of tension in l and iiinjtjiieiinef Continued relative rotation off thef'twe strips f and j l I fbrings "the the two strips.

again into "register :with "notchesV .In the, modification Of Figsarid Gtheisdif It cooperates f 'with l the ninglthe corners of a square, the hinged members are stopped at intervals of rotation. The

notches can be placed at other positions as desired in order to permit the hinged members to befimpositively held at other angular positions or at more thanjfoursuch positions in each 360 of rotation. In such cases, the tongues I4 are shaped in such manner that their corners will engagewany one or more of'a pair of notches. each notch of a pair being diametrically opposed to theothernotch of the same pair. l

The above-described hinge construction is oi suchnature that the two strips Ill and Il will not stick and the hinge will have a long eifective 1 ife. All parts of the `hinge are subjected to uniform tension and the two strips are snapped into open or closed position. yThere are no parts to get out of order andthe rule will lie flaton a surface yand not rock. The rule may be easily and quickly openedand closed and takes up but little .pocket room.

While the invention is disclosed as embodied in a folding scale hinge, it may be utilized in hinge constructions for table leg brackets, box covers, step ladders, windows, drapery holders, electrical switches and for many other uses which will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is to be understood that such uses of the invention are intended to be comprehended by the appended claims and that the invention is limited only by the scope of such claims.

I claim:

1. A hinge construction comprising two strips, one of said strips being slotted to form two prongs, opposed arcuate recesses in the adjacent faces of said prongs, spaced depressions in the walls of said recesses, and lugs struck out from the other strip passing through said rst strip and turned over into engagement with the surface thereof, the edges of said lugs being adapted to: engage said depressions to maintain the strips, indesired angular relationship and to be disen- -gaged'from' said depressions against the spring actionlof said-'prongs when one strip is rotated relative tot thefo'ther.

hingelconstructioncomprising two at members of-'sheet' metal, one -oflsaid members 'beirg slotte'd; and havinga circular/perforation vlarger:inltzliameter'than the width of the slot and fint'ercepting-'both 'sidesthereof and havingl 'spaced A'depressions in the Y`iriterr'ial 1 circular wallV thereof, the other of-s'aid members having lhegs struck'o'ut andpenetrat said perforation Twith the-'edges "of: said-lugs jbeing adapted to engage v'said fde.- pression,std'naintain the members 'in desired angular relationship and to Vbe disengaged from Vwsaid depressions :against the-spring action ofthe slot when one member is rotated with respect to the other.

3. A hinge construction comprising two strips, one of said strips being slotted to form two prongs, opposed arcuate recesses in the adjacent faces of said prongs, spaced depressions in the walls of said recesses, and lugs struck out from the other strip passing through said first strip and turned over into engagement with the surface thereof, said lugs being of proper dimensions to spread said prongs apart under tension and the edges of said lugs being adapted to engage said depressions to maintain the strips in desired angular relationship and to be disengaged from said depressions against the spring action of said prongs when one strip is rotated relative to the other fi. A hinge construction comprising two strips, one of said strips being slotted to form two prongs, opposed arcuate recesses in the adjacent faces of said prongs, spaced depressions in the walls of said recesses, a pintle carried by one of said strips and passing through said first strip in alinement with said recesses, said pintle having corners adapted to engage said depressions to maintain the strips in desired angular relation and to be disengaged from said depressions against the spring action of said prongs when one strip is rotated relative to the other.

5. A hinge construction comprising two at members of sheet metal one of said members being slotted and having circular perforations larger in diameter than the width of the slot and intercepting both sides thereof and having spaced depressions in the internal circular wall thereof, the other of said members carrying a pintle penetrating said perforaticns and having corners adapted to engage said depressions to maintain the members in desired angular relationship by engagement with said depressions and to be disengaged froin said depressions against the spring action of the slot when one member is rotated with respect to the other.

6. A hinge construction comprising two strips, one of said strips being slotted to form two prongs, opposed arcuate recesses in the adjacent faces of said prongs, spaced depressions in the walls of said recesses, and a pintle passing through said first strip in alinement with said recesses and having corners for engagement in said depressions, said pintle being of proper dimensions to spread said prongs apart under tension and the corners of said pintle being adapted to engage said depressions to maintain the strips in desired angular relationship and to be disengaged from said depressions against the spring action of said prongs when the two strips are rotated relative to each other.

7. A hinge construction comprising tWo strips, one of said strips being slotted to form two prongs, opposed arcuate recesses in the adjacent faces of said prongs, spaced depressions in the walls of said recesses, each recess being defined by a main arc and two lateral arcs with a depression at the junction of each lateral arc with the main arc, said main arc being struck about a center which lies in a line in the plane of the strip at right angles to the center line of the slot and, in that line, is located between said center line and the slot edge opposite the recess, each lateral arc being struck about a center lying in a line in the plane of the strip which is parallel to the center line of the slot and lies between said center line and the said opposite slot edge, a square pintle extending from the other strip through the opening defined by said recesses, the two depressions in each recess wall being of proper size and spacing to receive the corner of the pintle and said prongs being spaced apart under tension to accommodate said pintle, the distance between corresponding depressions in opposite recesses being less than the pintle side when the prongs are free of tension.

8. A hinge construction according to claim 7, in which said pintle consists of two identical parallel lugs struck out from the second strip.

GEORGE WASHINGTON HENRY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Humphrey Apr. 3, 1928 Number 

